


Autumn Flames

by Fallen_angel_of_time23



Category: Dan and Phil/Phandom, Phandom, dan and phil
Genre: 3 am drabbles, Candles, Cliche, Counting, Cute, Dan ownes a candle store, Fire, Fluffy, I love yet it, Its so terrible, Kisses, M/M, Metaphors, One Shot, Phil loves candles, bday present for my roomie, omg, please read omg, soooooo cliche
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-19
Updated: 2017-10-19
Packaged: 2019-01-19 13:51:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12411546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fallen_angel_of_time23/pseuds/Fallen_angel_of_time23
Summary: Dan ownes a candle shop and one day a cadle obsessed Phil Lester stops by - to purchase 30+ candles. Yeah he's obsessed.





	Autumn Flames

**Author's Note:**

  * For [All_the_Fandoms](https://archiveofourown.org/users/All_the_Fandoms/gifts).



* * *

The fire danced with his breath as it cast shadows along the counter. Slowly it flickered on its wick - rippling the melting wax beneath it. The heat - barely hot enough to lick a burn upon skin - dissipated outwards, warming the air. The smoke trickled up into the air, tickling the nose of the cashier - who’s arms encaged the little candle.

He was as stuck as the candle, unmoving, yet burning inside so bright he was slowly melting. Oh the similarities! He may have trapped the candle, but he had also been trapped by another. How gentle he must be with his breath for fear of ending his poor candle’s life, and yet he knew with such certainty that his captor could just as easily blow him away. Oh how his captor held his life in their hands!

He leaned against the counter, supporting the weight he could not hold up alone, and watched his captor weaving between the shop’s shelves of items. They were in the candle section, stopping every two steps to smell a new scented candle and then add it to the cart. This was the first time this customer had ever been in the store - he would have remember if he had seen them before.

He continued watching as the dark-haired customer added yet another candle to the growing pile of 30 now present in the cart. After another 20 minute eternity, his captor finished going through the aisles, and turned to him. Blue eyes met brown and he felt his flame grow higher within him, as if given a wave of fresh oxygen. Then his beautiful blue-eyed customer smiled, and his internal flame flickered on the verge of existence - as if they had just stole back their gifted breath of oxygen. His captor approached the counter, his heart hammering with every step they took. With a shy smile and downcast eyes, they placed the candles from their cart onto the counter.

As if piloted by a will not his own, he felt himself moving - slowly picking up the candles to scan them and place them gently into bags. His eyes flickered between the candles as he worked and his captor’s. Neither one of them speaking, but both acting as if they wanted to tell the other something of importance. He was halfway done when he turned around to grab another bag, and his captor spoke.

“You, um… you have a leaf in your hair…” The candle in his hand never made it to the bad, dropping to shatter on the ground the moment his flame died. Blown out by his captor, and replaced by the chill of humiliation. Frozen again, but no longer a candle, he could do nothing as his captor jumped, surprised by the shattered candle, and continued to babble. “Oh my! Did I scare you? I am so sorry, I didn’t mean to do that! You just turned around, and I saw the leaf and I thought you should know, and now I’m being awkward, and making a mess of this situation, and things like this happen to me all the time, and I hope you’re okay. I really didn’t mean to scare you. Are you okay?” He nodded slowly, the sincere worry in their eyes rekindling the coals of his soul. What a beautiful natural disaster his captor was. He was but a small candle caught in the eye of a storm, so powerful it could destroy him whilst simultaneously reviving him. He had no idea if he would survive this encounter.

“Yeah, I, um, sorry. Here, let me go get another one for you.” He smiled and then dashed into the back to find a replacement. It took a while to find - it was hidden behind other candles, the last one in stock. Out of curiosity he read the scent of the red candle. Autumn Wreath. One of his favorite scents. He walked back to the register and scanned the new candle, making sure to place it into the bag. “Sorry it took so long. It was the last one in stock.” He apologized in a small voice and continued to scan and pack the remaining candles.

“Oh that’s okay. I appreciate you replacing it, it’s one of my favorites.” They paused for a moment, shifting their weight from one foot to the other before asking, “C-Can I get the leaf out of your hair? Sorry if that’s weird, I just don’t think you want a leaf in your hair.” Thankfully there was no candle in his hands this time to drop. He looked, across the counter to find the beautiful captor smiling at him again. The rekindled coals burst back into a steady fire.

“Sure. I guess. Thanks.” With permission granted they leaned over the counter, reached behind him, and gentle ran their fingers through his hair, untangling a golden red leaf from his brown curls. They held it up between them both. The golden red colors mirroring the flames that wrapped around his heart.

“Got it.” They teased, before asking, “By the way, what is your name, and how on earth did you manage to get a leaf stuck in your hair while inside?” They laughed lightly, amused but not mocking. His candle flickered, warm, and he smiled too.

“I’m Dan. And I guess it must have happened when I went outside during my break.”

“I’m Phil, it nice to meet you, Dan. And I guess that makes sense.” Phil set the leaf down on the counter between them, and Dan couldn’t help seeing the universe’s hidden symbolism - there was a spark between them.

“Yeah, you too. But hey - what the heck are all these candles for?” Dan asked, trying to change the subject without ending the conversation, plus he really was curious. Who the hell buys 30 something candles for no reason?

“Oh… the candles? They um… they smell good. I just like candles.” Phil mumbled, embarrassed to be called out on his candle collecting obsession.

“How have you not burned down your place yet?” Dan replied, bewildered. This was already a lot of candles, so if Phil had more at home, he was very surprised the other man hadn’t burned down his place yet.

“Honestly I don’t know.” Phil said, honestly - pure innocence on his face. Dan couldn’t stop the fire burning in his soul. The man was just too much to handle.

“Wait so you have more at home? Just how many candles do you have?”

“I’ve never actually counted.” Again with the simple innocence.

“It would be fun to know.” Dan commented with a shrug.

“Then come on! I’ll show you!” Phil exclaimed, suddenly bright and energetic. The storm was back and Dan was sure he was about to be swept away.

“What?” He said meekly, too shocked to form a full reply.

“I came in with five minutes till closing and it has been at least half an hour. No one else is coming by, Dan. So come on! Come count my candles with me. Please?” The pouty face Phil gave Dan left him weak and breathless. His flame flickering.

“How do I know you’re not some crazy psycho killer with a thing for candles?”

“I promise I won’t kill you.” Phil continued to plead, and how could Dan refuse the request of such a powerful phenomenon?

“.....Fine. Let’s go.” Dan finished ringing Phil up. The latter paid and they both left, Phil leading the way back to his flat. When they arrived, Phil let them both in, telling Dan to make himself at home. Dan walked into the meager, but nice flat, already counting every candle he saw. From the door to the sitting room he counted 23 candles alone. In the sitting room was at least 50 more. When Phil returned Dan turned to him amazed.

“You are obsessed!”

“Yeah….” Dan shook his head, amused, before launching into the plan to count the candles.

“Okay here’s the plan. Let’s light the candles as we count them so we don’t double count any. Make sure to open the windows so we don’t set off the fire alarms.” Phil agreed instantly, and grabbed Dan his own lighter before opening all the windows. They both got to work, counting as they lit every candle Phil owned. The longer it took, the more impressed Dan became with Phil’s collection. No two candles were the same, each scent different. They were all organized by season, then color. They both finished in the sitting room an hour after they started.

“I counted 290. How many did you do?” Dan asked.

“310. Wow. I had no idea I had 600 candles! I really do have an obsession don’t I?”

“Yeah you do.” They smiled at each other, grinning with amusement. Dan eventually started to slowly turn in a circle, taking in the view of 600 candles flickering in the evening breeze. He was awestruck. Each little light danced with the rest, casting shadows around the room, making it look like stars in space. He turned back to Phil to find his new friend staring at him with the same awe that he, himself, had looked upon the candles with. Before he could ask why Phil was looking at him like that, a breeze blew through the window, carrying the smoke up to the ceiling, and setting off the fire alarm.

Water hissed down on them from the overhead sprinklers as the fire alarm shrieked in intervals. Both of them jumped, not expecting the alarm to blare, before scrambling to put out all the candles, and save Phil’s items from water damage.

It didn’t take long before they managed to get everything back under control and they were standing soaking wet in the sitting room. Phil looked over at Dan and the moment their eyes met, they were laughing. The whole experience too chaotic and silly for them to do anything else but laugh!

“Thank you for counting my candles with me.” Phil said once he could breathe again.

“Thank you for inviting me over.” Dan responded, stepping a little closer to Phil.

“Thank you for accepting.” Phil smiled as he, too, stepped forward, causing the two of them to be inches apart.

“Thank you for getting the leaf out of my hair.” Dan shuddered as Phil’s hand carded through his hair again before resting on the back of his neck. Ever so slowly they two of them leaned in until their lips met. It was a sweet kiss, slow and hesitant, searching and honest. Dan could feel the fire in his soul transform into fireworks - sparks that burst wherever Phil touched him. He melted into the kiss, too hot and too amazed. He let Phil kiss him senseless, breathing life into him with every kiss, both ignoring their soaked clothes. As his fire burned brighter their kiss became more passionate, kindled spirits finally finding each other after so long apart. They eventually had to break away for air, foreheads touching, eyes closed, they soaked up each other’s presence. Finally, Dan whispered into the silent nIght between them, one last sentence.

“Thank you, for not letting me fade to smoke.”

* * *

 


End file.
